Chasing Lincoln's Killer

Swanson, J.L. (2009). Chasing Lincoln's Killers. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Summary:
The book begins with President Abraham Lincoln's inaugural speech on March 4, 1865, of which his eventual assassin, John Wilkes Booth, an actor, was present. It continues on to discuss the end of the Civil War with the fall of the Confederate Army on April 3, 1865. Booth, furious with Lincoln for his success in ending the war and his belief in the rights of black people, had been plotting harm to the president for some time. It was on the night of April 14, 1965, when Mr. Lincoln and his wife were to see a play at the Ford Theater that Booth took his chance to assassinate the president. The book details Booth's plan, as well as his plot with several accomplices to assassinate the Secretary of State and the Vice President as well. It discusses the events that took place that night and the weeks following as the manhunt for Booth and his accomplices ensued.

Review:
This book was fascinating. It is full of authentic quotations from the events that took place, as well as maps and photographs of the victims, assassins, and weapons used. This is a riveting historical account of one of the most horrible events in American history. I learned things I had never known about Lincoln's assassination, as the book goes into great detail into the plot. It was fascinating to read about the manhunt for Booth and to see how divided the country was, with all of the people willing to aide Booth in his escape to the South. The photographs are a wonderful accompaniment to the book, providing spooky photographs of Booth's accomplices as they waited their execution aboard prison ships.

Genre:
Non-fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 10 - 15

Similar Books:

Subjects/Themes:
Civil War, racism, history, Abraham Lincoln, assassination

Awards:
YALSA Best Book for Young Adults

Annotation:
Furious over the fall of the Confederacy, the actor John Wilkes Booth assassinates President Abraham Lincoln in the Ford Theater. What ensues is a chaotic manhunt, full of deception, narrow misses, and those willing to aide a murderer in his escape.

American Born Chinese

Yang, G.L. (2006). American Born Chinese. First Second Books.

Plot Summary:
This graphic novel contains three stories which ultimately diverge into one. The stories are of the Monkey King, who is trying to be recognized by heaven, Danny and his cousin Chin-Kee, and Jin Wang, a Chinese American elementary school student. The Monkey King attempts to do everything possible to be recognized by heaven, including being able to transform himself into different forms. Danny is a white high school student who is embarrassed by his cousin Chin-kee who visits him from China every year. Jin Wang is a Chinese American elementary student who struggles to fit in with his predominately white classmates.

Review:
This is an incredible graphic novel. The three stories run along side one another until they merge at the end and you are hit with the reality that they were not all that different from one another. This book tackles racism and identity issues in a very creative way. Jin and the Monkey King are both dealing with issues within their own selves as they have a hard time relating to the world around them. These two characters realize that their identity issues have just as much to do with themselves as the world around them. The storyline of Jin is sadly very realistic and could easily be seen within our schools in America.

Genre:
graphic novel, fantasy

Reading Level:
Ages 12 - 14

Similar Books:

Subjects/Themes:
racism, self-identity

Awards:
Michael L. Printz Award
National Book Award Finalist

Character Names/Descriptions:
Jin Wang: Chinese American elementary school student, has issues fitting in to a predominately white school

Wei-Chen Sun: Jin Wang's friend and classmate from Taiwan

Monkey King: King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, born out of a rock, longs to be recognized as a deity, has issues with being a monkey

Danny: white high school student, cousin to Chin-Kee

Chin-Kee: Chinese cousin to Danny, visits every year from China, is every possible negative Chinese stereotype in one character

Annotation:
This graphic novel contains three stories interwoven by each character's self-identity issues exacerbated by the racism they must endure.

Maniac McGee

Spinelli, J. (1990). Maniac McGee. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Plot Summary:
Jeffrey Magee was orphaned as a baby. He immediately went to live with his aunt and uncle who never spoke to one another. When Jeffrey was eight he could no longer take living with his aunt and uncle and he decided to run away. Jeffrey just kept on running and running. He ran into the town of Two Mills and kept running. Along his run, Jeffrey performed many feats, such as hitting every ball off John McNab, the record holding strike out pitcher. Magee also ran into a practice football game, while continuing to run he caught a punt and ran it in for a touchdown. These were the stories that made Magee into a legend and caused his name to become Maniac Magee. But to the town his most impressive act was to cross the tracks that divided the white East End with the African American West End, in this town, that just wasn't done. Through his homelessness Magee befriends an African American family, an old man, and a poor white racist family. Through his running and lack of awareness of the hate going on around him, Magee helps to bridge the divide between the two sides of town.

Review:
I thought this was an interesting way to discuss racial issues. The author managed to take some very heavy subjects, such as racism and homelessness, and discuss them with some humor and lightheartedness. A lot of times I would not really understand where the book was going, but I think that was how the author intended it because Maniac himself did not know where he was going one day to the next.

Genre:
realistic fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Similar Books:

Subjects/Themes:
racism, homelessness, friendships

Awards:
Newbery Medal Winner
Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award
Mark Twain Award

Character Names/Descriptions:
Jeffrey Lionel Magee (Maniac Magee): orphan, homeless, is constantly running. Magee is good at playing football, baseball, and untying knots.

Amanda Beale: Lives on the West End of Two Mills, has two younger twin siblings, befriends Magee and has him move in with her family

Earl Grayson: Older man, Magee lives with him for awhile, used to play baseball in the minor leagues

Mars Bar Thompson: Tough kid on the West End of Two Mills

John McNab: Tough kid on the East End of Two Mills, Magee lives with he and his brothers and dad for awhile

Annotation:
Maniac Magee has become a legend in Two Mills. This boy, without a home or parents, has tackled incredible feats and managed to begin to bring the divided town together.